Gaming terminals, such as slot machines, video poker machines, and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such terminals with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the terminal and the intrinsic entertainment value of the terminal relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing terminals and the expectation of winning each terminal is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are most likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting of the terminals.
Consequently, shrewd operators strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting terminals available because such terminals attract frequent play and, hence, increase profitability to the operator. In the competitive gaming terminal industry, there is a continuing need for gaming terminal manufacturers to produce new types of games, or enhancements to existing games, which will attract frequent play by increasing the entertainment value and excitement associated with the game.
One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is that of a “secondary” or “bonus” game which may be played in conjunction with a “basic” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game, and is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome of the basic game. Such a bonus game produces a significantly higher level of player excitement than the basic game because it provides a greater expectation of winning than the basic game.
In existing games with movable reels (i.e., a mechanical slot machine or a video slot machine), one or more paylines traverse the display region overlying the movable reels. The symbol combinations that are present along the paylines are used for indicating the outcome of the game. One advancement in this area has been the addition of more paylines, which are typically arranged in a straight and/or a zigzag configuration across the display region. While the inclusion of additional paylines on gaming terminals has created enhanced excitement for the player, there is an existing need to create additional player excitement by adding new features to the paylines. The present invention is directed to satisfying this and other needs.